Monday, February 25, 2013

Souvenir from the 1953 Philippine International Fair. Silhouette by R Marcelino

The name "silhouette" was derived from an
unpopular character named Etienne de Silhouette, the controller general of
France in 1757 and a regular shadow cutter himself. Since then, the term was
applied to anything cheap or makeshift, though the art of shadow cutting had
preceded this character by hundreds of years on the European continent.

Producing silhouettes has been an inexpensive means of
obtaining a portrait since the materials required are readily available. Miniature
profiles are cut out of black paper and mounted on white backgrounds, or cut
from white paper and the hollow mounted on dark cloth or black paper.

The coming of the Americans at the turn of the 20th century
in the country began the commercial fad and promotion of the silhouette.
Despite the initial fascination of Filipino consumer-s, there were very few
local artists who took the cudgels of specializing in this type of folk art.
Some examples of the product as shown below were produced by R. Marcelino at
the Manila Carnival grounds since the 1920s until the 1953 International Fair.
And another artist named Bernardo practiced his trade at a certain place called
Bamboo Grove.

Silhouette souvenir from the 1953 Philippine International Fair. Silhouette by R Marcelino

The craft of paper cutting is not confined to the
Philippines. It is universal and as old as the invention of paper. In China, it
is called JIANZHI. In India, it is SANJHI; and called BATIK in Indonesia. In
Japan, it is combined with paper folding called MONKIRI. The Jewish names are MIZRACHS and KETUBOT.
In Mexico it is PICADO. And in Germany it is SCHERENSHNITIE. In the
Philippines, we call it PABALAT AT PALAMUTI, while combined with lantern or
parol making. -

By Alex Villaflor, the Silhouettes are from his collection

Silhouette artist Bernardo practiced his trade at a certain place called
Bamboo Grove

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

The worlds of advertising and cigarette smoking have been
intertwined for as long as we can remember. In the first half of the 20th
century, tobacco companies were major contributors to the advertising industry,
and many magazines and newspapers were sponsored by these companies.

As the 1970s dawned, things were beginning to change. During
the mid-70s, people became aware of the health hazards of cigarette smoking and
the government required tobacco packaging to carry health warnings.

These cigarette advertisements from the 1940s, 1950s & 1960s
were a reminder of the past when smoking was still cool and refreshing.

The following advertisements are from the collection of Arch. Alex Villaflor, while the cigarette wrappers are from my collection.

ALHAMBRA BLANCO, Tayuman, Manila, Circa 1940s

ALHAMBRA BLANCO, LA FLOR DE FILIPINAS cigarette label

ALHAMBRA REGALIZ, Tayuman, Manila

BATAAN Cigar & Cigarette Factory, Inc., Binondo Manila, Circa 1940s

BATAAN Cigar & Cigarette Factory Coupons. You get a free cigarette pack if you are lucky to get one inside.